Connections
by jschaw
Summary: When Alan goes missing, Don gets a strange phone call and fears the case may link to his past. Final chapter posted! Thanks for reading and reviewing!
1. Quiet

Don sighed briefly as he left the FBI office. The rest of his team had left an hour earlier, it had been the best kind of day. Quiet. As he began the drive back to his apartment his phone began to ring.

"Eppes," he said, without bothering to check and see who was calling.

"Hello, Agent Eppes. Do you know where your family is?" Don immediately went from driving toward his apartment to driving toward his brother's home, ignoring the increase in honking from other cars as he did this.

"What do you mean," years of training took over, Don's voice was calm.

"It's been a pleasure, Agent Eppes. I'll be in touch." Before the connection went completely dead, Don heard another sound in the background, one that nearly stopped his heart.

"Where is my son?" The phone went dead and with shaking fingers Don hit the speed dial for his brother's home phone. And had to listen as it rang and no one picked up. Don's quiet day was officially over.


	2. Wet

Don peeled into the driveway of his brother's home-he had called Megan on his way and trusted her to come after informing her of what had happened. He carefully pushed open the front door, unsurprised to find it unlocked.

"Charlie, you home?" He called. When no answer was forthcoming, Don quietly checked both floors of the house-finding no sign of his brother. Don flipped on the outside lights and headed out the garage, hoping against hope that he would find Charlie writing an equation on the board.

Halfway across to the garage, Don stopped, his eyes drawn to his brother's koi pond. Sitting in the middle of the pond, bound and gagged was Charlie. As Don ran across the lawn he heard a car pull up in front of the house and assumed it was Megan.

"Charlie!" Don yelled as he finished closing the distance between himself and his brother. He gently pulled his brother out of the pond. Charlie was muttering something, but the gag muffled it. However, Don easily read the terror in his brother's eyes. It spoke volumes. Don quickly checked his brother over and didn't find any visible signs of injuries.

"Easy, Charlie, easy. It's o.k." Don muttered as he gently pulled the gag free of Charlie's mouth. He was aware of Megan kneeling beside him and starting to work at Charlie's bound hands.

"Took dad, Don. S-said something about g-getting back at you.." Don cut Charlie off, pressing hand over his mouth.

"Let's get you dried off, then we'll talk o.k.?" Don became aware of another car pulling up and shutting off and glanced at Megan.

"David and Colby," she said simply. "I'll have them start canvassing the neighborhood, talking to neighbors..," Megan trailed off at Don's nod. Don helped Charlie into the house and told him to go change into dry clothes.

After changing, Charlie came quickly back down the stairs and found the three agents waiting for him in the living room. Don looked briefly at Megan, signaling her to take charge. He wasn't sure he would be effective at the moment.

"Charlie, I need you to tell us what happened tonight, okay? Take your time...Charlie?" Megan's voice turned the three other men's attention back to Charlie who was staring at their kitchen table. Etched into the surface of the table were the following words, REMEMBER ALBUQUERQUE, AGENT EPPES? Megan, David, Colby, and Charlie all looked at Don, who was staring at the etching, a look of shock on his face.

"Don, do you know what this could mean?" Don shook his head. David stood quietly.

"I'll call the crime scene investigators. We'll need photographs." David quietly left the room.

"Charlie, if you're up for it, we should take you into headquarters and take an official statement," said Megan quietly. Charlie nodded and the three remaning agents and Charlie stood and headed out to their cars. Don took Charlie, trusting David to handle things at his house for the moment. Don's focus had shifted to concern for his brother, and running his brain through his time in Albuquerque as an agent, wondering who could be holding a grudge against him. And why had they taken his father?

Beside Don, Charlie sat quietly, wondering where is dad was, but trusting Don and his team to be able to find him.

"Hang on, Dad. Please." Charlie's whisper was so quiet only the black, star lit sky heard his plea.


	3. Questions

Don herded Charlie quickly into the FBI building and into an empty interrogation room. 

"Will you be okay for a minute, buddy?" He asked quietly. Charlie nodded mutely as he sat down, his gaze focused on the wall opposite him. Don slipped quietly to his desk and sent a quick e-mail to the FBI office in Albuquerque, requesting all files of the cases he had worked while he had been down there be sent to Los Angeles as quickly as possible. Don grimaced as he thought of the sheer number of files that was going to be.

"What happened down there? What?" When no answer was provided, he sighed as he shut off his computer at the same time that Colby and Megan came in the door.

"Don? You want me to question Charlie? Or should I find another agent?" Asked Megan. Don shook his head and looked at Megan with a wan smile.

"You go ahead." Megan nodded and headed down the hall toward Charlie.

"Did you find anything out from the neighbors, Colby?" Colby took a seat near Don to give his report.

"Questioned the neighbors on your street and two streets either direction. No one heard or saw anything out of the ordinary tonight." Don sighed and looked at Colby.

"Which means that our best source of information is Charlie?" He asked, not expecting a reply.

"No, Don. You and Charlie. Let us focus on Charlie and the crime scene."

"And I'll focus on the only other lead we have."

"Albuquerque. That is your focus, kay boss?" Don smiled and nodded.

"You gonna watch Megan." It wasn't phrased to be a question. Colby disappeared down the hall afer Megan. Don sighed and turned his attention back to his computer as he turned it on. It beeped, alerting him to new email. He quickly logged on and checked it. It was a message from the FBI office in New Mexico, stating that they were pulling the requested files and would have them on the way to Los Angeles within two days.

"At least something's going right today, then," Don muttered to himself, glancing at his watch. Almost four in the morning. Time had passed quickly and Don felt the exhaustion beginning to creep it. He stood and headed for a desperately needed cup of coffee.

Down the hall in the room that Charlie was sitting in, Megan and Colby quietly enetered. Charlie was still staring at teh wall, but turned when the two agents entered. Meghan took the chair directly in front of Charlie, while Colby sat next to Charlie.

"Charlie, I need you to tell us what happened tonight." Charlie drew in a deep breath and nodded. He closed his eyes briefly thinking.

"I had a meeting with a student tonight-he was from my math for non-math majors class. Donald Healy. I went over some review concepts with him, then left for home. It was about five thirty when I got home. Dad, dad was reading and I went out to the garage.." Charlie broke off and looked down.

"It's o.k. Charlie. Take your time-don't force the memories." Charlie smiled shakily at Megan then continued.

"I-I was working on some equations, for about an hour I guess, I didn't even hear anything until someone grabbed me from behind and forced me to the floor.I was tied up and gagged. The man was big and had a nylon sort of mask over his face, so I couldn't see it. He led me out of the garage and the other guy was there waiting, and said, said..." Charlie's voice shook as he remembered.

"What did the other guy look like, Charlie?"

"About as tall as me, I didn't see his face. It was masked like the other one and he kept in the shadows. He said that they had dad and had left a message on the table for Agent Eppes-Don."

"Which name did they use, Charlie? Agent Eppes or Don? That could be important."

"They referred to him as Agent Eppes. Said they had dad and told the guy holding me to dump me in the Koi pond, that he was going to go make a phone call. The guy left and the other guy dumped me in the pond." Tears were shining in Charlie's eyes as he finished and looked at Megan and Colby.

"O.k. Charlie. You did good. Don't worry, we will find him." Colby tried to reassure him but signalled Meghan with his eyes to go get Don-knowing Don was the only one at this point that could give Charlie the reassurance he so desperately needed.

Don slumped back into his chair with a tired sigh. His mind tried to focus on the daunting task ahead, but his heart wanted to be in two places, with his dad and with his brother. He knew though it had to be with his brother. don saw Megan approaching him and stood to greet her. His phone rang as he did so, and he picked it up as Megan stood next to him.

"Eppes."

"Hello, Agent Eppes. Do you remember Albuquerque?"

"What do you want?" Don couldn't keep a small tremor out of his voice.

"You'll find out soon enough. I am calling Agent, to give you a warning. I will issue this warning only once. Your professor brother cannot help you out on this case. If he does it will cost your brother's life. I don't bluff. Albuquerque, Eppes. Remember." Standing next to him, Megan had heard the whole conversation and figured they probably should have tried to trace the call. Don finally looked up at Megan with moist eyes.

"I-I'm going to take Charlie to my apartment. Have the team here and ready to go at ten?" Megan smiled.

"Make it twelve, Don. And we'll be here. What are you going to tell Charlie?"

Don sighed. "What I have to. He can't help on this case. I cannot risk dad's life. I just hope he'll understand, I can't take that chance."

"He'll understand. Now go, Don I'll see you back here at twelve. I'll send an Agent over to be with Charlie when you leave." Don briefly smiled his thanks and then sighed as he turned down the hall to collect his brother. He would wait and break the news to Charlie once he got him to his apartment.

Next chapter will have some Alan pov in it. Hope you enjoyed! Thanks for Reading!


	4. Words and Why

Alan Eppes woke with a groan. He blinked twice before realizing that he was in a room that provided absolutely no light whatsoever.

"How did I get here," he wondered quietly to himself. In a single, horrifying flash images began playing through his mind. He remembered the two men on the porch, Charlie dragged out of the garage, bound and gagged, looking terrified. Realizing the terror stemmed from the fact that they were taking him, Charlie's father, and he couldn't do anything but watch.

"Oh Charlie, I hope you're o.k." He whispered. Alan fought back tears and felt around him, trying to get some idea of where he was. He was lying on a small cot, the room he was in was small, about eight feet in any direction he wandered-the walls were smooth with no sign of a door in any of the walls.

"How am I supposed to get out of here?" He spoke outloud to himself, just to hear something other than the quiet that permeated the room.

"You aren't supposed to, Mr. Eppes. May I call you Alan?" A disembodied voice floated out of nowhere towards him.

"What? Who are you?"

"Mmm. That is not important Mr. Eppes. What is important is for you to answer my question right now. May I call you Alan?"

"Let me get this straight! You take me from my home, lock me in some hole who knows where? Don't have the decency to show me your face, I'm obviously your prisoner here-and you are asking me if you can call me Alan! Do I have this right?"

"Quite right. So-Mr Eppes, the choice is yours."

"Alan, then."

"Very good, Alan! You have made your first choice. This is encouraging progress." Alan thought back to his kidnapping and gasped, horrified when a second thought entered his brain, making his blood go cold.

"Wait, wait a second. My son- where is Charlie? What did you do to him! Charlie! Are you in here!" Alan stumbled blindly through the small room, terror seizing him as he imagined stumbling across his boy.

"Tsk. Tsk, Alan. Charlie is alive. He simply went for a swim in his backyard pond."

"Why me? Why take me?" Despite his fear, Alan was curious.

"Your son, Alan is Agent Eppes of the FBI. He needs to remember Albuquerque. He needs to make a connection."

"What?"

"No more questions, Alan. I expect you need some rest. I'll be back in a while. If you need it, there is a bucket underneath the cot."

"Wait, please! I still have questions! Are you there? Please!" Alan could hear the rise in his voice as he fought back panic, then finally let himself slump back onto the cot in defeat. The voice was gone.

"It will be o.k. It will be o.k." He told himself, though he knew he wasn't really believing it. Hard to believe everything was going to be o.k. when you are locked in a small room talking to someone you can't see. And then hoping he'll come back. Alan shook his head in despair and dropped onto the cot. Somewhere though deep inside of him, he still knew that Don and Charlie would find him. They were almost always unstoppable when the worked together, as a team.

The drive to Don's apartment was done in silence. Don was still struggling to come up with how to break the news to Charlie that he couldn't help with this one, while Charlie was muttering fast under his breath. Don recognized that he was muttering equations. His mouth briefly turned up into a small smile. No doubt they would be ones to try and locate their father.

Don grimaced as he pulled silently into his parking space at the apartment and shut the car off. Charlie looked over at Don when he remained in the car, his fingers still clutching the steering wheel, telling himself Charlie would be understanding when he told him. "Don?" Charlie's voice broke Don out of his thoughts.

"Yeah, Charlie?"

" We're here. We should probably go in. Oh, and do you have a notebook or two? I want to start working on an algorithm, so we can find Dad...," Don tuned Charlie's voice out for the moment. The hope in his brother's voice was almost too much to bear-especially since he was going to have to crush those hopes, if they wanted any chance of finding their dad alive.

"Charlie, stop! Just stop, o.k.? You cannot help on this one!" Without realizing it, Don had risen his voice to a shout. Charlie looked at Don with his eyes wide.

"Can't help, Don? This is our dad we are talking about! If there is any case that you do need my help on, it's this one!"

"No." Don's voice had dropped to a whisper.

"Why not? I can design an equation..."

"Charlie! Listen to me! You cannot help or work on this case! Not even a little!"

"Don, what has gotten into you. I know last night and this morning has been rough, but I still don't get you some days! You still treat me like a kid!" Charlie gave a disgusted sigh and opened the car door to get out.

"Wait, where are you going?"

"To CalSci."

"Why?" Charlie whirled to face Don, his eyes blazing with fury.

"Why? Because it's obvious you don't want me here, my home is off limits for the near future because it's a crime scene at the moment, so that would be my only option left to me, since you can solve this one on your own. So, go ahead and solve it Don." Charlie stalked off-heading for the nearby bus stop. A few steps before he reached it, Charlie turned and looked toward Don with cold eyes.

"Charlie, wait for a minute o.k. I need to tell you..." Charlie cut him off.

"Call me when you find, Dad." A bus pulled up and Charlie disappeared onto it. Don watched the bus pull away, his heart felt like it had shattered, the anger had faded and it left only the bitter taste of his brother's words in his mouth. Don dropped his head into his hands and let the emotions that he had been pushing back since this had all begun, push forward as he sobbed quietly.


	5. Pondering

After Don had taken Charlie to his apartment Megan, Colby, and David deposited themselves in one of the conference rooms to try and decide what direction to move in to bring Alan Eppes home. They were waiting on forensics from Charlie's house but they wouldn't be ready for several hours yet. Photos were on their way up from the lab. Megan had her head propped up on her hands, her eyes far away.

"What's on your mind, Reeves?" Asked David. Megan sighed briefly before looking at David sitting across from her.

"I'm thinking about the call I overheard. From the kidnappers. There were some unusual things with it."

"Like what?" Prompted Colby when she paused. Megan sighed and looked at them directly.

"First of all, this Albuquerque reference?"

"Well, Don worked in the FBI offices in Albuquerque. In fact he called to have the files pulled of all his cases he worked on down there. He thinks someone may have a grudge." Megan paused and sat up abrubtly.

"I think someone does, but I don't think it is going to be in the people he put away. Colby, David in the phone call the person always referred to Don as 'Agent Eppes' and he kept saying 'Remember Albuquerque'."

"Right. Like what was etched in the table at Charlie's house. 'Remember Albuquerque'. "

"This is a long shot, but maybe we need to focus on two groups of people down there. The people he put away down there, but the way they keep referring to Don as Agent Eppes, I may be way off base, but maybe we should look at the agents down there that he worked with as well. Referring to him consistently as Agent Eppes makes me think the person might have worked with Don, not been caught by him." David and Colby were silent as Megan stood and left the room abruptly.

"I'm calling down to Albuquerque again. I'm going to request the files of all agents that worked with Don." David and Colby exchanged a glance with each other.

"Another agent doing this? How could one federal agent kidnap the father of another?" Colby asked David.

"I don't know. We'll have to look at this from a lot of angles. But if it is another agent, they're gonna pay and pay hard. I'll keep my focus on the guys he put away, you and Megan put the focus on the agents down there." Colby nodded and they went to work once again. Now at least they had something to tell Don when he came back to work.

Charlie sat in his office at Cal-Sci, staring out his window. He was still shaking slightly with rage. How dare Don tell him he couldn't work on this case? He needed to. He could provide help to Don. Charlie shook his head and stood. His hand went to the chalk he kept on his desk then fell. The events of the night and this morning came and hit him full force. He staggered backwards and pressed his back against the wall before sliding down it. He brought his knees up to his chest and pressed his face on them. He let his tears fall. He prayed his dad was o.k and that he would hang on until they found him.

After calming himself down, Don wearily climbed the stairs and opened his apartment. He let himself in and headed straight for the fridge. He paused as he opened the fridge and sighed. He was tense, strung, and dreading another phone call. He was hating himself for what he had done to Charlie, but he hadn't had an option! His father's life was at stake and Don wasn't willing risk gambling it away.

He closed the fridge and sank down on his couch in the living room. He began to think back to Albuquerque. He had helped put a lot of people away. Some had done unspeakable things, inflicted unbearable pain on other human beings.

He started as one face came at him in particular. Daniel Mitchell had terrorized the agents in the Albuquerque office, taunting them, committing crimes then leaving notes or making phone calls. He would dare them to guess who he was. He had also killed one of the agents that Don had worked with. Special Agent Mark Manning. He had been a good agent and Don still blamed himself for getting him killed.

It had been a stakeout, waiting for Mitchell to show up at a local convience store. The clerk had i'd him a few nights previous as having robbed the place and leaving a note for the clerk to give to the FBI. It had read simply, 'Be Watching, I'll be back.' And he had. Don had his agents surround the place and had urged Mitchell to give up. It had been a three hour long standoff and at the end, Mitchell was in custody, but at the cost of two lives. The clerk and Agent Manning who had stepped in front of a bullet that had been aimed at Don.

Don's shoulders trembled slightly as he remembered Agent Manning's partner. His reaction to his partner being killed. Don realized with a start he could not remember the name of Agent Manning's partner. Just that he had never liked him and the dislike between the two of them had been mutual. He had yelled at Don after Manning's death. Don had simply taken it then left to call Agent Manning's sister, Rosemary, to break the news to her. Why couldn't he remember his name? Don finally felt sleep begin to claim him and herded himself to his room. He would get some sleep, head into the office, and call Charlie and try and apologize. He smiled sadly. He would apologize, but he would still hold firm on not letting Charlie help on the case.

Sorry there is no Alan POV in this chapter. Next chapter will be up soon!


	6. The Past and a Package

Alan woke again to complete darkness. He sighed as he wondered how long he had been there. He had no perception of time-all he had for company was a disembodied voice that sounded almost mechanical. With effort he pulled himself up into a sitting position on the cot. He moved his hand slightly and pulled it back, startled when he felt something foriegn on the blanket. He took a deep breath and inched his hand back out. There! Three foriegn objects. One was a bottle, two were small and rectangular.

He opened the bottle blindly and sniffed at the contents. There was no smell so he hesitantly took a small sip. It was water. He drank about a quarter of the bottle before closing it and opening one of the long thin packages. He quickly discovered they were granola bars and they were gone in no time.

"Enjoying your breakfast, Alan?" Alan jumped briefly startled at the sudden return of the disembodied voice.

"Well?"

"It was fine." Alan's voice was monotone.

"Good. I'm glad you liked it."

"How long am I going to be your prisoner?" The voice laughed, sending chills down Alan's spine.

"Until Agent Eppes remembers of course. But once he does, I might kill you just to watch you die. Rest Alan." Alan knew the voice was gone. He was shaking slightly at what the voice had revealed. He finished the water bottle, paced around the room a little, then slumped back onto the cot and let despair overtake him once again.

Charlie woke with a start. Where was he? It looked like he had fallen asleep on the floor of his office at CalSci. He paused-momentarily wondering why his dad wouldn't have called when he had obviously been gone all night. HIS DAD! Reality came crashing down with a heavy brutality. His dad had been taken, Don wouldn't let him work on the case, he couldn't go home. Charlie stood up and stretched, then reached for his phone on his desk and turned it off. He picked up a piece of chalk. Even if Don didn't approve-Charlie snorted- Don wouldn't approve Charlie began to put together all that he knew of what had happened into an equation. Time slipped away as he began to write frantically.

At exactly noon, Don stepped back into the FBI offices and was surprised to find all desks for his team empty. Then he saw Megan ste pout of one of the conference rooms.

"Down here, Don!" She called, disappearing into the room again. Don stepped into the room and felt his jaw drop. Stacks of files were piled everywhere and divided into two groups, it seemed.

"This cannot be all the people I put away down there."

"No, just that side." Replied Colby.

"Than what is this side?" Don turned to Megan.

"These are agents you worked with down there, Don. The consistent use of your name as Agent Eppes when the caller calls you makes me think it might be an agent." Don started and turned toward the stack of agent files.

"Don?" David voiced hesitantly.

"Look for a file on Special Agent Mark Manning in that stack. Killed in the line of fire. Killed by one Daniel Mitchell. He should be in that stack." David, Colby, and Megan exchanged smiles as they started digging through the files. Their leader was back. Behind them, the office began slowly filling as people filtered in from lunch breaks and field work.

After several long minutes the files had been pulled. While they had been searching-Don has stepped out and tried to call Charlie. He had been forwarded to voice mail and Don left him a brief message apologizing and asking him to come down to the FBI offices.

"Don, we have the files." David has stepped out of the conference room. Don nodded and followed him back in.

"This is interesting, Don. Daniel Mitchell was released from prison on good behavior-he is on parole in Sacramento." Colby looked up from Mitchell's file.

"Agent Mannings partner was Special Agent Michael Leif. He left the FBI shortly after his partner was killed-records say he moved to Connecticut."

"Well, that rules him out."

"Colby and I will go and pick up this Mitchell fellow. Bring him in for questioning." Don and Megan both nodded. When they had been left alone MEgan looked Don directly in the eye.

"Charlie?" Don sighed, why hadn't he seen that one coming? He briefly explained the argument they had and also mentioned he had called and tried to apologize. They sat in silence for a while before looking at the files of Daniel Mitchell once again. A hesitant knock at the door of the conference room jarred both of them from their thoughts.

"Excuse me, Agent Eppes? This was on the front desk. No fingerprints, it's addressed to you." Don accepted the plain manila envelope and looked at it. Neat, cursive writing wrote out the following 2 lines: Agent Eppes On behalf of Alan Eppes. Don's fingers shook as he hesitantly opened the envelope, several sheet of paper slid out onto the table.

"What the?" Megan peered over Don's shoulder to get a better look. It was line after line of printed numbers. All ten to twelve characters long. Before Don could react further, Megan had scooped up the papers and was heading for the door.

"Where are you going, Reeves?" Megan turned around and addressed Don calmly.

"I'm taking them to CalSci. You were warned not to get Charlie invovled. I, however, wasn't. You are welcome to ride along."

"Megan! I was told not to involve Charlie. It could cost my dad his life!"

"That's right, Eppes. You were told not to involve Charlie. I wasn't." Megan reached the elevator, Don had to move fast to catch up with her as the elevator closed.

"Reeves, when I get through with you..." he let the sentence trail. Megan smiled at him.

"I'm willing to bet Charlie will know what these are. When you get through with me, you'll be thanking me." Don rolled his eyes, half of him was amused half was angry. They walked out to Don's SUV and as they headed toward CalSci Don smiled his first real smile in almost two days. Megan was probably right. Though he wanted to kill her, he would probably end up thanking her-but not until he got his father back.


	7. Apologies and A Plan

The drive to CalSci was done in silence. Once there Megan and Don got out and headed toward the math building and Charlie's office. Just outside Charlie's office Don realized Megan had stopped a few feet back. He looked back at her with a question in his eyes. Megan nodded toward the door.

"You go ahead first." Don realized Megan wanted him to go first so he could make his peace with his brother. Don sighed. He hoped he could. He opened the door of his brother's office and quietly walked in. He saw Charlie immedieatly standing at the chalkboard writing frenetically.

"Charlie?" Don spoke quietly. Charlie's head came around he looked at Don through red, swollen eyes.

"What do you want? I won't stop working on it. I won't let you make me stop." Charlie's voice rose with emotion. Don realized though Charlie was looking at him, he wasn't seeing him. Don quickly came to stand by Charlie.

" I came to apologize. We're both frustrated and.." Don stopped and swallowed. "I got a phone call telling me not to involve you on the case. That Dad's life depended on it..I'm so sorry Charlie. I'm sorry for hurting you." Charlie looked at Don.

"I miss Dad. Are we going to get him back, Don?" Tears welled again in Charlie's eyes. Don quietly reached for Charlie and pulled him against him as Charlie's tears fell silently. After Charlie had calmed down he looked at Don.

"I have to help. You have to let me help. Please Don, I can't let Dad die." A new voice from the doorway interrupted Don's reply.

"You can help me find him Charlie. I'll involve you, not Don." Megan stepped into the room. Charlie and Don both stood and Charlie looked at the file in Megan's hands.

"What is it?"

"It came for Don. It's numbers." Charlie smiled for the first time in days and reached for it. He sat in his office chair and silently studied the printed sheets.

"Do you think you can find out what they are?" Asked Don. Charlie looked up and regarded Don solemnly then turned and looked at the equations he had been working on. Equations now useless with the information he held in his hands.

"I know what they are. I just don't get it. These numbers are all UPC codes for college textbooks. A few I recognize as math texts, the others I might have to run by the campus bookstore. Why would Dad's kidnapper send us UPC numbers for textbooks?" Don and Megan both shrugged, all three of them confused and feeling helpless. Don's phone rang.

"Eppes?" He answered wearily.

"Don, it's David. We found Mitchell."

"Are you bringing him in?" Don all but leaped from the chair he had sat in.

"We can't Don. He's dead. There's a note left here." David got interrupted.

"Remeber Albuquerque?" Don asked harshly.

"Yes. We'll finish up here and meet you back at the office." David hesitated. "Charlie?" Don couldn't help but smile.

"The numbers are UPC codes for textbooks. We'll meet you at the office." Don ended the call and he, Megan, and Charlie headed for the door.

Alan Eppes rubbed his face wearily. The same prison, the same disembodied voice, though it had been quiet for several hours, was now haunting him when he dozed off. He was beginning to lose hope. He wanted to be home, to see his sons, to cook. He couldn't though. He could barely make out his prison. He reached for the half emtpy waterbottle and swallowed some.

"Returning to the land of the living, Alan?" Alan jumped at the sudden return of the voice. He didn't reply, instead chose to stare at the wall.

"Silent now. I have a question for you. Your two sons are smart. But I can tear them apart, pit them against each other, make them begin to hate each other.." Alan interrupted the voice in horror.

"NO! They would never hate each other. They may not always see eye to eye with each other, but they would never hate each other!"

"We'll see about that won't we. Once Agent Eppes remembers Albuquerque, we'll see if your prediction comes true or if mine does. Now doesn't that sound fun?"


	8. An Impossible Choice

Don, Charlie, and Megan all filed silently into the FBI offices. Charlie was still looking at the papers the kidnapper had left. They pushed into the conference room that they had been using and each sat. Don silently shook his head which did not go unnoticed by Megan.

"What is it Don?" Don looked at Megan the pain she saw in his eyes took her breath away.

"Who? Who could possibly be responsible? I thought Mitchell, but now he's dead. Who hates me so badly as to take my dad?" Megan didn't respond, she knew nothing she said would be comforting to him right now. Don turned when Charlie stood and headed out toward his desk.

"What are you doing, Charlie?" Charlie turned with a half smile on his strained face.

"I'm going to call the campus bookstore. See if I can get a list of what books these all are." Don nodded and watched Charlie go then silently turned to Megan. Megan knew what he was thinking before he asked.

"I brought him in on this Don." Whatever else she was going to say was interrupted by the return of David and Colby. Both looked weary and beaten as they looked at their boss.

"Sorry, Don." David said quietly sitting in one of the chairs. Don shook his head and attempted a thin smile.

"Not really your fault is it?" He muttered. Colby nodded toward Charlie.

"What's Charlie doing?"

"Calling the bookstore on campus. To see if he can get a list of what the books are." Don reached for another file.

"Back where we started then?" He opened the file but before he could see who it was, Charlie was coming back into the room, looking apprehensive. He walked and stood directly in front of Don.

"Do you know what they are?"

"Sorry, Don. Rosemary, the lady that runs the bookstore on campus and could get me this information hasn't been in for a couple of days. Her assitant said that it would take her a couple of hours to look them up." Don looked up at Charlie like he'd been shot.

"What did you say her name was?"

"Rosemary Manning. She moved up here a couple of years ago from New Mexico..." Charlie's voice trailed off as he watched Don turn white.

"Remember Albuquerque. Oh man. That's the connection! Her brother Agent Manning was the one killed in the convienence store hold up! I was the one that told her. She took it well at the time, but." The ringing of Don's phone stopped his conversation. David nodded, indicating the call was being traced.

"Eppes."

"Agent Eppes. I warned you. I told you not to involve your brother...," Don cut her off, his voice back in control.

"I know who you are, Rosemary." There was silence for a moment on the line, and then a laugh. A laugh so cold and brittle it sent chills down Don's spine.

"I know. The bookstore just tried calling me. Dr. Eppes wanted information on what books corresponded with certain UPC codes. That's involving your brother. So now I am going to give you a choice. A choice that ends with whether or not your father dies." Don stopped breathing momentarily.

"What?" His voice was a harsh whisper.

"If you want your father to stay healthy, if you want the chance of finding him alive here is what you have to do and believe me, I'll know if you do it or not. You are going to tell your brother to leave. Leave the office. It doesn't really matter where he goes. You will also tell him he can't help you anymore ever."

"I'll never do it."

"I wasn't done. You also tell him that you hate him. That you resent him. After all you did didn't you? That's why you left home. You hate him, you resent him. And once you've done that, Agent Eppes, what will poor Dr. Eppes do? I think he'll fold. He'll be broken. And it will be all your fault. Don't do it, your father here will die. Think carefully, Agent Eppes. You killed my brother, I'm going to make sure your brother thinks you hate him. You have one hour to do it in. Then I might give you a clue to help you find your father." The phone call ended.

Don let it slip from his fingers. He was horrified. He looked at his agents, looking at him for direction. Then he rested his eyes on his brother. He fought back panic. If he told this to Charlie, he knew beyond any doubt it would kill him inside. He sat down hard. He had no doubt Rosemary would follow through with making sure he would never find his father.

He had the chance to get his father back but risk losing his brother's love, risk losing his brother forever, or he could lose his father forever but still have Charlie. Don felt bile rising in his throat and fleeing the conference room he bolted toward the restroom. Locking himself inside. He knew his agents and Charlie would be concerned, he didn't care.

"An hour...and hour to ruin my life, my father's, and Charlie's?" He spoke aloud to himself. He let himself slide to the floor. Don was beyond scared, beyond terrified. A women whose brother had died in his hands now held his father's life in her hands.

He had two paths. Two choices. And 1 hour to make a choice.


	9. A Choice Made

Megan watched with concern as Don had bolted from the room wtih a sick look on his face. She looked quickly toward David who shook his head. They had not been able to get a trace on the call. The entire room was silent. Colby had moved to stand behind Charlie and offered him silent support with a hand on his shoulder.

A few minutes later Megan spotted Don walking slowly toward the conference room. She looked hard at her leader. He looked beaten down, a look she had never seen on him before. he came quietly into the conference room.

"Charlie, can I talk to you for a minute." Charlie stood and followed his brother out of the conference room and out of Megan's line of site. Putting her mind firmly back to the task at hand she turned to both David and Colby.

"Let's start finding out everything we can on Rosemary Manning. One of us needs to pay a visit to her home."

"She works at CalSci. We should be able to get a number from them. I'll go call." Before Colby made it out of the room a commotion at the end of the hall made all three agents stop in their tracks. Don was yelling at Charlie. Without a word, the three of them headed toward the pair when the next wrods out of Don's mouth stopped them both in their tracks.

"I want you to leave, Charlie. Just go!"

"Don," Charlie's voice was small and his face wore a complete look of shock as his brother continued to yell at him.

"Just go, Charlie! Leave! This is your fault! Go!" Charlie's eyes had grown big and wet. He turned and ran for the elevator. He was almost there when Don delivered his final parting shot.

"I hate you Charlie! I hate you!" Megan looked at the elevator where Charlie has just disappeared, then looked at Don, then back at the elevator. Colby voiced what all three were thinking.

"Don, what is wrong with you!"

Meanwhile, Rosemary Manning watched from a dark street corner-video camera running, as Charlie bolted from the FBI offices tears flowing freely down his face. 'Perfect.' She thought to herself. She quietly left the corner and went back to her car. She smiled. It was time to pay another visit to Alan Eppes.

Alan paced restlessly in the small dark room. He was emotionally spent. His thoughts were currently his only companion. What the "voice" had told him earlier had scared him. He was scared for his sons-though he still believed what he had told his disembodied companion. His boys would never turn against each other.

"Hello, Alan. It's time to come up." Alan jumped with the return of the voice. Then he registered what the voice had said. As he thought about it, light appeared in the ceiling and a ladder descended. He obeyed the voice without hesitation and climbed the ladder slowly. His muscles were stiff and sore. When he got to the top he had to blink several times as his eyes grew adjusted to light again after being in the dark for so very long.

He was in a wherehouse type building with a cellar. Then he focused on the scene in front of him. A woman was standing, holding a gun and a video tape.

"Sit." She smiled, but it was cold. Alan took a seat on the couch.

"I broke your boys today. Like Agent Eppes killed my brother, one of them is going to end up dead. But first, I'm going to show you what happened. Your boys did turn against each other."

"No. No." Alan felt like he couldn't breath as the woman put the tape in and started it. He watched. It was faintly light outside, probably early morning. It was being filmed just outside the FBI offices. What he saw next broke his heart. Charlie running from the building, tears streaking his face.

"His brother just told him he didn't love him. That he hated him. Just like Agent Eppes took my brother, now I get to take his." Alan looked with fear as the woman told him just what she was going to do. She was going to kill Charlie, and what Alan realized next filled him with dread.

She had shown him her face. Alan came to the grim realization that once Charlie was dead, he was going to be as good as dead.

"Have a good day, Alan. Back down you go." With a motion of the gun, Alan descended back into the darkness. He watched in complete despair as the ladder was pulled back up and some food and water bottles were tossed down before darkness and despair were once again his only companions.

He hadn't thought it possible, but it had happened. She had turned his boys against each other. Nothing was going to save them. Alan slumped back on his bed, the darkness his only witness to the tears he shed.


	10. Hope Found, Hope Lost

After revealing her plan to kill Charlie to Alan and leaving him in the cellar, Rosemary Manning walked over to a cabinent and retrieved her dead brother's gun. She smiled and she lifted it and pointed it.

"How fitting Agent Eppes. You go tmy brother killed, so now I am going to kill yours. He is going to die thinking you hate him." Rosemary slipped outside the warehouse and to her car. She headed in the direction of CalSci. She figured that was where Charlie would be. When she arrived at CalSci she parked just across from the math building. After a few minutes thought she decided to wait until most of the students had left. there would be fewr chances of witnesses to the fact that she was about to destroy Agent Eppes.

Don sat at his desk at the FBI. He felt alone. He WAS alone. After being chewed out by Colby, David, and Megan in turn-Colby and David had left to have a look at Rosemary's home after obtianing the address. Megan had chosen to stay behind. She was currently stacking files-keeping an eye on Don, sitting at his desk looking so miserable. Feeling some of her anger bleed away, she quietly approached Don's desk.

"You want to talk about it?" Don stared blankly at her for a moment before he registered what she had asked.

"No." Megan drew in a deep breath and slowly counted to ten inside her head before asking her next question.

"Do you really hate Charlie, Don? Did someone make you say it?" Megan watched Don carefully, but he simply turned his chair away from her and buried his head in his hands. He remained silent.

"Did Rosemary threaten you, Don?" Megan sat in a vacant chair next to Don's and pulled Don's hands away from his face. He looked to be on the verge of tears.

"No! She didn't threaten me. I wish she had! I could have dealt with it! She told me I had on hour, that I couldn't tell anyone! I had one hour to break my brother or, or our dad would die..," Don trailed off, looking at Megan in horror as his mind registered what his mouth had just said. He swallowed hard, fighting to keep his composure.

"It's just you and me here Don. No one else will know. It's between us. I'm going to lok through those blasted files again. Maybe it'll turn up something the third time we go through them." Megan stood and headed back into the conference room, but before she reached it she turned back to look at Don.

"Don. It might take some time, but Charlie will forgive you." Don stared open mouthed at Megan for aminute before standing slowly and joining her in the conference room.

"Thanks, Reeves. Now let's find this crazy woman." After a few hours of fruitless searching through various files, Don welcomed the distraction of his phone ringing.

"Eppes."

"Don, it's David. We have something. The search at Rosemary's home turned up an address for an old warehouse that used to be a storage unit for the CalSci bookstore. They don't use it anymore though, they store their books in a facility on campus." David relayed the address of the old warehouse.

"Alright. Megan and I will meet you there. Do not go in until we get an idea of what we are looking at."

"You got it, Don." Megan had overheard Don's part of the conversation and was already across the room at the elevator. As it descended Don looked over at Megan. Megan smiled to herself at the look in Don's eyes. They held hope. Hope that for all of them, this nightmare was finally coming to an end.

Charlie stood quietly in an empty classroom at CalSci, staring blankly at the board in the front of the room. His mind was still reeling with what his brother had shouted at him a few hours before. He fought back a fresh wave of tears and sat in an empty seat in the lecture auditorium. His brother, the one he looked up to and had tried to impress hated him. He had lost all his hope at finding his father. His heart held no hope at reconciling with his brother for whatever he had done.

Lost in his musings he didn't hear the door to the lecture hall open quietly. It didn't register he was no longer alone until he heard the voice speak out.

"Do you want the pain to stop?" Rosemary Manning with gun held in an unwavering hand had come to stand near the distraught professor.

"Your brother hates you, professor. He hated mine too. Got him killed. We are both suffering the same hurt, aren't we?" Charlie looked up at Rosemary.

"Yes." His eyes strayed momentarily to the gun that Rosemary held. She took a small step closer to Charlie.

"I can help you ease your pain, Charlie."

"How? How can this pain go away?" Charlie's voice was low and filled with raw anguish.

"Your brother hurt you today. Do you want to hurt him back?"

"How? How can you help me with this pain?" Rosemary smiled again and gestured with the hand that held her dead brother's gun.

"I can help you ease your pain. Agent Eppes used your mind and then tossed it away. Professor, it's your mind, your brain that really gets you hurt, isn't it?" Charlie nodded his eyes pleading.

"If I put a bullet in it-your brother won't be able to get to it anymore." The clear sound of a gun cocking was enough to bring Charlie out of his hazy stupor. He stumbled away from Rosemary.

"No! NO! Don may not love me and may not want me, but my DAD DOES! And I can't give up on him!" To Charlie's surprise Rosemary laughed.

"Very noble, Charlie. But in this world- I am the one holding the gun. Sit down, professor. We have some waiting to do."

"What?" Charlie was confused as he did as he was told.

"Your brother by now has sent people to my home. They will have found the address I left behind to the old CalSci storage unit. They will find your father there, a little worse for the wear, but not bad off. Don will then come to find you. To get you out of his life. when he walked in that door, he WILL remember Albuquerque. He will watch you die and feel no remorse." Charlie closed his eyes in horror. He started to shake.

Don would find their father. He would come to CalSci to rid himself of Charlie. Don would watch him die at the hands of this woman who hated Don so deeply for her brother's death that she had kidnapped his father. Charlie looked helplessly around the room his eyes came to rest against his will on Rosemary.

He saw no way out.


	11. Rescue One

After crying himself out, Alan was laying wearily on his cot. Without realizing it he was already beginning to mourn. His sons had been split apart and that psychotic woman was on her way to CalSci to kill Charlie. Alan choked back another sob of despair. She was going to kill both him and Charlie, and leave his eldest shattered. Don. Alan's heart went out to his son. He knew his son. He would be devastated.

Alan had a small measure of peace in knowing that Don's team would be there for him. He laughed wearily. They'd smother him and Don would hate it. But he would need it. He heard the cellar door creak open and knew Rosemary had come back.

"My boys. Don, Charlie, I hope you both know how much I love you." He was standing facing away from the door in the ceiling, not wanting to watch the woman's descent into this pit to kill him. A strong hand landed on Alan's shoulder.

"I know, Dad." Alan started at the voice and turned quickly to face the owner of it. He saw one of the best things he had seen. Don, standing in the cellar.

"Donnie!" Alan swayed and Don gently guided him to sit on the cot. Don sat next to him and in an uncharacteristic display gently hugged his Dad tight.

"I'm here Dad. You okay?" Don pulled back and began to look Alan over.

"I'm fine. Don you have to hurry! That woman, she's going to CalSci. She's going to kill Charlie!" Don looked at his dad with tortured eyes.

"She-she made me say horrible things to him. He thinks I hate him, Dad." Don stood abruptly and helped guide his dad to the ladder and up out of the cellar into the upper floor of the old warehouse. His team was there looking over the warehouse. Megan approached them as they came out of the cellar.

"Mr. Eppes. It's good to see you."

"Thank you Megan. And it's Alan." Alan turned pleading eyes toward his eldest. Don met his eyes and nodded.

"Megan, I need you to take my dad to the hospital to get checked out, then home. Stay with him till I get there?" Megan nodded. Don called for David and Colby.

"I need you two to come with me to CalSci. That's where she's headed. Thanks Reeves!" Don hurried to catch up with David and Colby who were already out of the warehouse. Don drove like a man possessed. He had to save Charlie, he had to tell his brother the truth. That he didn't hate him, that he loved him. In order to do that, he had to save him first. Megan quietly turned to Alan.

"You can just drop me off at home. Then join them."

"Don told me to," Alan cut her off.

"I know. But I need you to, for me. Please." When Megan still hesitated he added, "I can call Larry when I get home." Megan smiled and nodded.

"Let's get you home then." Megan dropped Alan off at home about twenty minutes later watching to make sure he got to the door. When he turned and waved at her, Megan returned the wave then steered her car in the direction of CalSci to join the others.

She arrived at CalSci and parked quickly next to Don's vehicle. Don, Colby, and David were nowhere in sight as seh scanned the perimeter. She assumed they were already in the building. As she exited the car she heard shots ring out in the math building. Her heart quickening she drew her weapon and sprinted toward the back of the math building. She slipped inside the unlocked door and headed down the hall toward the sound of the gunshots.


	12. ShowDown

When Don, David, and Colby arrived at CalSci Don had them go check on Charlie's office on the third floor. Colby and David both drew their weapons and headed up the stairwell. Don moved slowly down the hall, systematically opening classroms and finding them empty.

When Don reached the lecture hall located toward the center of the building he looked through the glass and felt his heart stop. Rosemary was in the classroom, her back to Don and she held a gun calmly on his brother. Don pushed the door open quietly and listened to the conversation unnoticed. Then he joined the conversation.

"Drop it Manning. Now!" Don's tone was flat-his eyes were the only indication of what he was feeling. Rosemary quietly turned around after saying something to Charlie. Don watched Charlie turn and step towards the middle of the aisle-halfway between Rosemary and Don. His eyes were resting on Don.

"Why do you hate me? Do you want me to die?" Charlie's voice was strained. Don swallowed hard.

"Charlie, I don't hate you." Don nodded his head toward Rosemary who had stepped up just behind Charlie, the gun in his back. "The phone call I got at headquarters. It was her. She, she threatened dad's life, Charlie! I had not choice." Rosemary, shielded behind Charlie suddenly raised her gun and fired it into the ceiling. Charlie jumped and Don tightened his hold on his weapon.

"Shut Up Agent Eppes! Because of you, Mark died! He should have, he should still be alive! He..." In the midst of Rosemary's rambling Don glanced at the door at the back of the lecture hall near the blackboard. It was the only other exit to the classroom. Hearing Rosemary's voice change he turned his attention back to her and his brother.

"I'm going to give you a choice, Agent."

"What kind of choice?"

"Mark stepped in front of a bullet meant for you! It should have been you that died." Don drew in a deep breath as she loosened her hold on Charlie but kept the gun on him.

"Your weapon over here now! Slide it!" Keeping his focus on Charlie, Don did as he was told.

"Good. Now back up and Charlie move four steps forward." Looking at his confused brother, Don nodded slightly as he did as he was told. Charlie did the same.

"Now, Agent Eppes. Here is your choice. Are you fast enough to stop a bullet? I am going to count to three. Then I will shoot. Right now, your brother is in the path of the bullet." Don wanted to scream. Charlie looked horrified. Rosemary looked crazy. She was crazy, but it was an intelligent crazy. Don looked at Charlie. His resolve strengthened. It looked like one of them would die and Don wasn't going to let it be Charlie.

"One, two, three." Don had dived at Charlie when Rosemary had hit two. A single shot rang out as Don tackled Charlie and brought him down to the ground.

Don was aware of nothing but his brothe ras he lay shielding him-fully expecting to hear another shot. He slowly became aware of several footsteps in the room and found himself being pulled off of Charlie.

"Don! Don! You okay, man?" Don slowly realized David was trying to pull him to his feet. Breathing Don stood and slowly nodded.

"I'm fine." Don freed himself from David's grasp to look at Charlie and relaxed when he saw Colby helping his very confused brother up.

"Don!" Charlie was shaking, he still looked frightened and confused. It wasn't a look Don liked to see. Don closed the distance between them and took Charlie shoulders in his hands.

"I'm sorry Charlie! I'm so sorry!" Charlie gently pressed his thumb over his brother's lips to halt his rambling.

"It will take time Don. But we'll be okay. What about Dad, did you find him? Is he okay?" Don nodded.

"He's fine Charlie. I had Megan take him home and I TOLD her to stay with him, didn't I?" Don raised his voice at the last part as he looked over at Megan, crouched by Rosemary's body. Megan looked up at him unflinchingly.

"Someone had to be here to save your sorry hide, Eppes. Besides, your dad was insistent." Don's brain finally registered with the events and seeing Megan behind the back doors of the lecture hall.

"Wait. You shot her Megan?" Colby and David were confused.

"Someone had to do it." After LAPD and more FBI showed up the scene became chaotic and everyone was caught up in it for a few hours. After giving statements, reports and a hundred other things you have to do at a crime scene, everyone was ready to call it a night, or day as the sun was now rising.

"So, are you giving us a lift home, Reeves?' Don asked, once they had made it outside. Megan smiled.

"Watching the reunion scene when your dad gets a hold of you two? No thank you. I'm sure you two will be plenty busy resting for a while." Ignoring Don's look, Megan gave Colby and David a ride back to headquarters while Don and Charlie headed toward Don's SUV. The ride home was quiet.

Both brother's met a very relieved father at the door and they all quietly settled themselves in the family room. They sat in silence for a while until Alan broke it.

"I think it might be a good idea for all of us to see a counselor. Together and possibly seperately." Don and Charlie both nodded. Don's fatigue was quickly catching up to him but before any of them left to rest, Don knew he needed to say something. After glancing at Charlie, Don told their dad about tthe threat, the phone call, and the devastating choice he had made in hurting his brother.

Charlie spoke a little next. About the hurt and anger he had felt and also some guilt for being so tired abd worried as to have really believed what Don had said. Both Don and Alan were quick to reassure him. They knew it would take time, but it was something all three of them had.

Alan spoke a little about what Rosemary had told him while he had been her prisoner and his feelings about what she had said and tried to do. A few tears were shed. After sitting quietly for a few more minutes, all three of them decided to get some much needed rest, Don agreeing to stay in his old room.

Before heading upstairs, Alan pulled Don and Charlie to him.

"I'm proud of you both. You both did the best you could possibly have done. I love you both." Don and Charlie both returned the sentiment and then they headed upstairs.

Don waited until his brother and father were in their respective rooms, then he went into his own room and shut the door. As he settled himself on his old bed he thought a little.

He knew the coming days would be rough as they worked through the ordeal and hurts that Rosemary had left in her wake. He thought about what his dad had told them. About Rosemary wanting to split them apart. He shuddered at how close she had come to succeeding.

The wounds that had been inflicted would be slow to heal, he knew that. He smiled at his final thought. It was a simple equation. He and Charlie may fight and have their differences of opinion, but with their dad's guidance which was freely and abundantly given-even when it wasn't wanted, he and Charlie were brothers.

No matter how deeply they may hurt each other with words and even fists some days, their brotherhood, their bond, would always keep them together. Don smiled and finally let his eyes drift shut.

Each day would bring new challenges. As a family they could overcome each and everyone. There was no stronger connection that Don had than that of his family and their love. No matter where he went or what he did, he could always come home to them.

End.

**A/N : Endings are not my strong point! I hope this ending worked okay for everyone! Thanks for reading. Jschaw**


End file.
